Don’t Stop with the Season of Giving: How to Allocate Marketing Dollars to Show Appreciation All Year

The holiday season is in full swing, and it’s about this time of year that we suddenly hear everyone talk about what they are grateful for. While it’s wonderful to focus the topics of our conversation (and our marketing) around what we’re thankful for in the holiday season, here are three ways to show your gratitude all year round to keep the thankful train going strong:

1. Thank You Card: This might sound a little too simplistic, but that’s because it is. Sometimes the best way to say thank you is to say thank you literally. A thank you note is welcomed at all times of the year, and doesn’t need to come with anything but. We recommend personalizing them to the best extent of your ability, but there are ways to do that in large quantities if you have the right partner. 
2. Giftaway: No, that’s not a typo, and we didn’t intend to write “giveaway” 😉 A gift-away is a way to say thank you that isn’t tied to something (for instance – spend $100 and save 20%). A giftaway gives customers a gift card or coupon valued at exactly what you put on it and doesn’t come with any strings or minimum purchases. While it may sound like you’re giving money away, think about it like this – if you gave your sibling a coupon to use vs. a gift card, which would they think was actually a gift? (Hint: it’s not the coupon!). Giving even a $5-10 gift card as a thank you brings customers to you, and in almost all cases, they’ll spend far more than the value of the gift card, and you get time with that customer to shop what you offer. 
3. Rewards Program: Customers participating in rewards programs are statistically more likely to return to spend money to obtain their rewards. Rewards programs don’t have to be complicated; a point value can be assigned based on dollars spent, and then those points get “cashed in” for a reward. Rewards can be swag (hats, water bottles, t-shirts, etc.), dollars off coupons, or experiences. Tier the program so there is an incentive to rack up the points if you can. It’s easy loyalty – they show their loyalty to you, and you thank them in return with some extras.

In only a few minutes, you just got three big ideas for showing gratitude all year long. We appreciate you taking the time to hear our ideas, and we’d love to add them to this list. Please comment below or contact us with your ideas… and who knows, maybe we will feature your idea on a future post as part of our gratitude for sharing with us! (See how easy it is?!)

Kirkwood Direct is ready to be your partner in creating programs or marketing campaigns to show gratitude to your customers. We can handle anything and everything from design to execution of thank you cards, content, giveaways, and giftaways (including the gift card fulfillment), and managing rewards programs. Contact us today to learn more or to brainstorm with our creative team. Thank you!